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French GCSE help

oufoufoufouf

Hey, could anyone who has done GCSE French and is doing/done French A level send me any notes that you have?
Thanks xx

Reply 1

Itz_HK

Original post by hffhgghhghg

Hey, could anyone who has done GCSE French and is doing/done French A level send me any notes that you have?
Thanks xx

What aspect do you need help on?
Speaking, listening, reading etc

Reply 2

oufoufoufouf

anything 😂I'm year 9 but apparently I'm almost fluent. so in class I either do the GCSE book or a French book that French people my age use. but I don't really get any help in class because I'm doing different things. my teacher is amazing but obviously they can't spend all their time on me. so any help (not necessarily with the actual French, but more the exam). would be great! thanks!

Reply 3

username5209782

I would gladly help you, but I don't know how I'm supposed to if you're almost fluent. As for the exam, I've read somewhere that you get grade 9s in class? So I'm supposing you understand the structure of the exam :blushing:

However, if you have any questions then please do feel free to ask. :yep:

Original post by hffhgghhghg

Reply 4

oufoufoufouf

😂lol no I don't really know how the exam works, I can do the work though, but I don't actually know the structure.

Reply 5

username5209782

Oh ok, well then I'll try and help you in the best way possible. :yep:

Writing
Presuming that you are taking higher French, you will have the 90 word question worth 16 marks, the 150 word question worth 32 marks and a translation from English to French worth 12 marks. :awesome:

This is for AQA btw, so if you do another exam board it may be slightly different. :dontknow:

For the first question, the most important thing is covering all 4 bullet points, as you can lose marks if you don't. You don't have to write about each bullet point equally, but make sure you write at least a little bit for everything and stick to the topic (unlike me, the biggest waffler on this universe :rolleyes:

). Make sure to include past, present and future throughout this question. Express opinions and justify them, this answer doesn't have to be very complex to gain top marks, it just needs to be accurate and to the point. :dumbells:

For the second question, this is where you start adding in those complex structures such as your 'si' clauses, complex opinions and ideas, subjunctive etc etc which I'm certain you know. :borat:

My teacher advises us to split the 2 bullet points into 4 so that we can actually reach 150 words, I personally prefer not to do that but I know it can be helpful for others. :yep:

Again, reference to 3 time phrases is VITAL, pack in that complex vocabulary and remember to justify every opinion, give a reason why, what you liked to do when you were younger, what other people like or dislike.

The most important thing with translation is just practice I suppose. :frown:

Speaking
Before the speaking begins, you choose 1 theme (again this is for AQA) to be tested on during the general conversation. Theme 1 is family, friends, lifestyle and more, Theme 2 is the environment, your town , Theme 3 is studies and employability (there is more for every Theme but you understand the general idea :flute:

). My teacher advised me to go for the weakest theme so that for my photo card, I can write about a topic I am comfortable with but idk if that is suitable advice. :redface:

Photo card: you are allowed to prepare for this during the 12 minutes preparation time. You are asked questions about one of the two themes that you didn't pick for the general conversation. :ashamed2:

The first question will always be 'Qu'est-ce qu'il y a sur la photo? ', so try and practice describing a photo. Then you get 2 bullet points that you must address, and 2 other questions that you will not be able to prepare for that your teacher will ask on the spot.

Role play: this is quite short. I can't remember how many bullet points you have to answer exactly, but i do know that at some point you will have an unexpected question and you will have to ask the examiner a question. :blow:

General Conversation: you will be asked questions based on the Theme you chose, and the other theme that hasn't been covered on the photo card. At some point during the general conversation, you must ask the examiner a question otherwise you will lose marks. :frown:

My teacher didn't give me any questions to prepare for the general conversation beforehand so I had to do it completely spontaneously, but I know some people do get questions that could be asked in the conversation and memorise the answers.

Reading
Section A: questions and answers in English, Section B: questions and answers in French, Section C: translation from French to English. :colonhash:

Listening
Section A: questions and answers in English, Section B: questions and answers in French.

Sorry if this is the wrong exam board and if you already knew all of this, but good luck with French. :smile:

Original post by hffhgghhghg

😂lol no I don't really know how the exam works, I can do the work though, but I don't actually know the structure.

Reply 6

oufoufoufouf

thank you so much! yes I am doing AQA. what mark for you get?

Reply 7

username5209782

Original post by hffhgghhghg

thank you so much! yes I am doing AQA. what mark for you get?

No problem :smile:

I'm glad I got the exam board right :colondollar:

what do you mean by the last part?

Reply 8

oufoufoufouf

what mark did you get in the GCSE or are you in year 10/11?

Reply 9

username5209782

Original post by hffhgghhghg

what mark did you get in the GCSE or are you in year 10/11?

Oh, I'm in Year 10 but I'm taking the GCSE this year :frown:

For my mocks I got:
Speaking: 60/60
Writing: 57/60
Listening: 49/50
Reading: 55/60

I did better in my other mocks lol but I'm still really proud of these. What have you been getting in classroom assessments?

Reply 10

oufoufoufouf

um well I did some assessments recently on topic 1 but I just study the book on my own in the classroom whilst my lesson is going on, so I hope they will be higher (especially oral as I haven't done any), but
speaking:58/60
writing:60/60
listening:49/59
reading:60/60

Reply 11

username5209782

Original post by hffhgghhghg

Woah... they're incredible for a Year 9. Honestly, you should be so proud of yourself, especially as you study without your teacher's support. Will you be taking the GCSE early?

I'm halfway through my mocks right now for French (only listening and reading to go), and I'm hoping my writing and reading go up because although I'm happy with them, they have gone down lol

Congratulations! :borat:

Reply 12

oufoufoufouf

good luck! no, I can't take the GCSE early because I am not native